Page:The story of the flute (IA storyofflute1914fitz).djvu/136

 grateful to the pianist. Another composer of the same class is Luigi Hugues, an Italian whose works deserve to be better known in this country.

Within the past ten years quite a new school of composers has arisen, who seem destined to give renewed life to the flute as a solo instrument. Their work is characterised often by extreme modernity and abounds in subtle and unusual harmonies, frequent changes of key and rhythm, etc. In many cases the pianoforte part (the weak point with most of the older flautist-composers) is quite as important as the flute part; the two being interwoven, as it were. Some of these composers (such as Rössler, Verhey, Buchner, Langer) have adopted the regular sonata or concerto form, in three or four movements, with great success. Their works are, as a rule, of very considerable difficulty, and are mostly "made in Germany." Others, chiefly French, have, as a rule, adopted much shorter forms, especially the Romance. Their pieces are of a more simple type; they often possess a certain elegaic or pastoral charm; soft and unobtrusive, abounding more in pianissimo than in forte passages. Many of them are veritable "songs without words." The chief writers of this class are Joachim Andersen and J. Donjon. Several of the compositions of the latter show the flute at its best; they are very distinctive, and I know of no others in exactly the same style. Donjon makes most effective use of the low register, notably in his fine Offertoire (op. 12). The pieces I have referred to afford